Traders at Scunthorpe Market have expressed anger at the way a proposed relocation elsewhere in the town centre has been handled by North Lincolnshire Council.

Proposals are in place for a new indoor market in the former BHS building in the Parishes shopping centre, which is to be known as St John's Market and would replace the existing facility from spring 2019.

Some traders at the Market Hill site say they will not be moving to the new site, part of which is scheduled to operate on six days of the week and the remainder on five days.

And some say they feel the council has forced them out of the market.

But the council has said it has received positive feedback from shoppers about the planned move and so far, 48 traders had committed to the new site. The authority has also said it remains committed to working with affected traders on a one-to-one basis.

Scunthorpe Live joined the town's MP Nic Dakin on a tour of the market, speaking to traders about the proposed move.

Butcher may move elsewhere

David Jenkins, whose family butchers has been on the market since 1936, said he may be forced to find a shop elsewhere.

He said: "The council clearly want this land for whatever reason, and they are trying to force us into a totally unsuitable situation.

Scunthorpe MP Nic Dakin talks to butcher David Jenkins during a visit to Scunthorpe Market (Image: David Haber)

"They gave us these one-on-one sessions, and basically told us where we would be. They allocated stalls for us, we had zero say in anything.

"They offered us no cutting rooms – you can't run a butchers without a cutting room. They also expect us to have one cold room, I currently have eight cold rooms here."

Mr Jenkins said the council had suggested his suppliers deliver to him more often.

He said: "That just shows me they have absolutely zero idea. They have taken no interest, nor done any research into how running a butchers store works."

The move to the new site would mean that David would have to pay double the rent for a similar sized store, but no cutting rooms.

David Jenkins butchers currently employs 20 people, whose jobs could be at risk if they do not move to the new site.

Mr Dakin said: "This is a huge business shock. It is forced upon them and as you can see, people don’t want it."

Gimme Golf owner says move is 'unfeasible'

Jeff Sewell, who runs a golf stall on the market, said he would be retiring as the move is unfeasible to his business.

Jeff said: "I strongly disagree with the move and so do the majority of us here, I speak to people here all the time, so I know this.

"This place could be renovated and it would be lovely, this place is ideal and it has history. They are using tax-payers money – but tax-payers don’t want it.

Gimme Golf owner Jeff Sewell is among the traders who will not be making the move to the new St John's Market in Scunthorpe (Image: David Haber)

"It’s frustrating because they have used council employees to do all these estimations, they have no marketing experience.

"For this to be successful, they have to go out and get the right employ the right people to do this, but also, listening to the current market trader’s needs, and work around that – but of course, they are doing it their way."

Another trader, who has been on the market since 1982, said: "Am I impressed with how the council has handled this? No, not at all. They have absolutely no idea.

"First of all, the layout for the new market looks absolutely nothing like what a market should be like.

"They’re making it too expensive and they’re pushing out the traders who can’t afford it, they don’t care about the history of this place."

'Looking for new premises'

Karl Dickson of Monty’s Carpets said he too would not be moving to the new market, revealing his rent would have gone from £9,000 to £24,000 per year, to be in a market stall which would be a similar size to his current shop unit on the front of the market building.

Karl said: "The council told us that they wouldn't let us fall off a cliff – now, it feels like they are pushing us off a cliff."

He has now decided to buy a shop on Glebe Road, rather than move to the new market.

And Julia Murray, whose J Bale Pets stall has been trading on the market for 70 years, said she would be looking for new premises over "unfeasible" warehousing offers.

Julia Murray, of J Bale Pets on Scunthorpe Market, is looking for a new site to trade from (Image: David Haber)

She said: "We've had a lot of issues with the move, and like I said, it's just not feasible for us.

"What’s disappointing is that we feel the council has not been listening to us – they have made decisions without even consulting us. We’re devastated to not be trading here in the future.

"One man’s decision can change and affect so many people's lives.

"The government claim that they want to help small business, yet they could potentially be putting over 200 people, who work in these small businesses, out of work."

Mr Dakin said: "This is a business that has been here since 1947 that is being forced of the market by the Tory council.

"Some others are choosing to go online, some are choosing to end their business and often retire, and then there is a group of people that are still hoping that it might work.

"But some of these people are worried about the quantum of people that are moving to make it work."

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Mr Dakin said he thought the proposal to relocate the market could work as long as the council worked with and listened to traders.

He said: "This could work as long as the council is working with the traders and customers but the feeling is they are doing it to the customers and traders and it is very much take it or leave it.

"With the way each business is having to make its own business decision, we won't get the critical mass of traders moving to the new market and having key anchor stores there.

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"It is still not too late to work with the traders and to make this work well together for everybody but they need to listen to people and work with them.

"Scunthorpe Market is part of the area's history and heritage and the fact that 20,000 people signed a petition on it shows people care about it."

Visitors at an engagement event in the former BHS store in Scunthorpe, which will be the site of a new indoor market

A public engagement event was held at the site of the new market on July 27, where visitors were invited to see a 3D video, plans and a mock-up stall and ask questions.

Following the event, the council said 66 per cent of respondents to a survey of visitors were positive about the plans, with 17 per cent saying they had mixed reactions.

The council's view

A North Lincolnshire Council spokesperson said: "We have received really positive feedback from many shoppers about the location and new premises for the market.

"So far 48 traders have committed to the new market building and we have received a number of new local businesses who would like to be considered for a stall.

"We are continuing to work with traders on a one to one basis and we will do so over the coming months.

"It was simply not feasible to stay in the current market with incurring significant costs and temporarily closing down market business for months to undertake important improvement works.

The former BHS store in Scunthorpe town centre, which is to become the new St John's Market

"Rents for the new building are comparable with other council markets in the area and it is important that we establish the premise that North Lincolnshire taxpayers do not subsidise individual businesses rent going forward.

"There is no plan for the old market site, only an extensive range of options that seeks to bring more jobs and prosperity to Scunthorpe town centre.

"Residents regularly give feedback to the council about the town centre and the council is seeking to respond to this with a positive regeneration project that improves Scunthorpe for years to come."